Road tool



J. G. TULLIS March 27, 1934.

ROAD TOOL Filed April 18, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 27, 1934. J G.TULUS 1,952,398

ROAD TOOL Filed April 18, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 27, 1934ROAD TOOL Jasper G. Tullis, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to The ClevelandFormgrader Company,

Cleveland,

Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application April 18, 1931, Serial No.531,049

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a tool used in road construction andparticularly to a straight edge for gauging the longitudinal evennessand regularity of the surface of concrete pavements.

At present the speeds at which vehicles travel over roads, as well asthe loads carried, have greatly increased and as a result thelongitudinal evenness and regularity of the road surface is of greatimportance and the necessity of more pre- 0 cise forming of the contourof the surface is recognized. Slight irregularities or waves in the roadsurface which are negligibleat slow speeds cause discomfort topassengers of fast moving vehicles and are very dangerous. In the caseof heavily loaded vehicles traveling at the higher speeds, the pavementis subjected to very severe impact shocks which are greatly augmentedeven by slightunevenness in the road surface. It is apparent thereforethat more care must be exercised in forming an even pavement surface.

i-feretofore, in the construction of roads, a straight edge of wood orany easily obtained comparatively straight metal member has beengenerally used. The straight edge, being 10 to 12 feet long, is placedlongitudinally of the freshly poured pavement on the portion to begauged. When this pavement section is brought to the required evennessthe straight edge is moved forwardly thereon to dispose about half itslength forwardly past the finished portion and over the next succeedingportion, which is then brought substantially even with the working faceof the straight edge. Such makeshift straight edges are not sufficientlyaccurate to obtain the required greater precision now required in thismethod of constructing and gauging the pavement surface.

It is obvious that the straight edge must be capable of supporting itsoverhanging length with no warping or bending. Furthermore, since in usethe straight edge is often tilted to a certain extent, due to theheight'of the operators hands above the pavement, the straight edge mustbe very rigid laterally so as not to assume an arcuate form when held inthe normal operating position.

Again, due to the rough handling of the tool by the workmen, it mustwithstand severe usage and at the same time maintain its precision.

With these facts in mind, one objectof my invention is .astraight edgefor gauging the smoothness or evenness of the pavement surface which hasan exceedingly accurate gauge edge or working face, and which is soformed that it will retain a true edge or working face under adverseconditions of use and varying temperatures.

Anotherobject of my invention is a straight edge gauging tool which isvery rigid, both longitudinally and laterally, and which will not warpor bend under the usual rough handling.

Another object of my invention is a straight edge comprised of sheetmetal and formed so as to most effectively utilize the stock material,thus permitting the use of thin gauge stock with a consequent smalltotal weight.

Another object of my invention is a straight edge of regular contourwhich may be economically manufactured and assembled from readilyavailable stock material and which may beformed easily withcomparatively simple and standard equipment.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the followingspecification in which reference is made to the drawings by the use ofreference numerals.

In the drawings--,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a straight edge embodying the principlesof my invention, showing the manner in which the tool is used.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken on a plane indicated by the line2-2 in Fig. '7.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view similar to Fig. 2, showing a modifiedfastening of the upper edges of the stock.

Figs. 4 and 5 are similar sectional views illustrating respectivelymodified forms of my in vention.

Fig. 6 is a partial cross sectional view taken on a plane indicated bythe line 6-6 of Fig. '7.

Fig. 7 is an elevation of the head of the tool.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1 which illustrates a preferred form ofmy invention, 1 designates the straight edge head to which is attached ahandle 2, the handle being sufiiciently long to enable the operator tostand at one side of the pavement and position a straight edge slightlypast the center thereof. The distance from the operator to the pavementcenter is often 12 feet or more, consequently both the handle and thestraight edge head must be as light as is conmensurate with strength.Therefore, I prefer to make the handle in the form of a hollow aluminumtube, though other types of handles may be used. The straight edge headcomprises a strip of thin gauge metal, preferably aluminumformed into anelongated hollow body 3 having a straight edge or working face 4. Theworking face is as nearly as possible perfectly straight and flat and isadapted to be placed on the pavement surface to gauge the evennessthereof. This working face is preferably of sufficient width so that itwill engage enough surface area of the freshly poured concrete to besupported thereon without indenting the surface to any appreciableamount.

As described, the straight edge head is from to 12 feet in length andsupported on a handle midway between the ends. Consequently, due to theoverhanging length of the head on each side of the handle it issubjected to the greatest bending stresses near the longitudinal center.The head is made of suficient depth at the central portion to withstandsuch stresses and is tapered toward the ends, thus forming substantiallya constant strength beam which most effectively utilizes the stockmaterial and makes possible the use of less material than otherwise andconsequently effects a saving in weight.

Referring particularly to Fig. 2 the head 3 may be formed of a singleelongated strip of sheet metal which is somewhat wider near the centerthan the ends to provide the additional depth at the center. The portionof the metal strip which is to form the working face 4 is held perfectlyflat and part of the adjacent side portions are turned upwardly and theninwardly to form a box-like body 3. The marginal portions 5 and 6 of thestrip are turned upwardly at an angle to the body 3, as indicated at '7,and are positioned face to face to form an upwardly extending webintegral with the body. The upper edge portions 8 and 9 of the marginalareas are pressed firmly together for locking the two marginal portions5 and 6 against relative movement in any direction, This produces astiff web Sui-mounting the body 3 and formed of two thicknesses of themetal stock. The web is preferably disposed centrally of the body 3, asillustrated in Fig. 2, and the edge portion 9 extends sufficiently farpast the edge portion 8 so that it may be folded over and brought faceto face with the surface thereof. In this position these edge portionsmay be riveted as indicated at 10 or welded or otherwise rigidly securedtogether to form a bead of greater thickness than the web. In thismanner a hollow body 3 having a stiffening web the upper edge of whichis a heavy head of at least three thicknesses of metal is formed. Thehead of the straight edge tool so formed is substantially trusslike inconstruction, and obviously will withstand severe bending stressestending to warp it out of the plane of the web. As described, the handleis preferably a tubular metal member. In order to secure the handlefirmly to the head 1, I prefer to pass it through the web, asillustrated in Fig. 6, preferably close to the upper surface of the body3. The end of the handle projecting through the web may be serrated andthe serrated portions 11 turned down flatly against the web surface.Suitable plates such as 12 and 13 are placed about the handle on eachside of the web, the plate 12 holding the lugs 11 firmly in placeagainst the web and having a central boss 14 extending into the handlepost, the web and slightly past the other plate 13. The plates may thenbe secured together by rivets, as illustrated, or otherwise. Thisconstruction provides a very-rigid connection between the head 1 andhandle 2.

Lateral braces 15 and 16, shown in Fig. 1, are each secured to thehandle near one end, the other end of each being riveted or otherwisefastened to the web of the head 1. These braces preferably are disposedat angles of 45 to the handle and head.

In operation the device is placed on the concrete surface by theoperator, while standing at the edge of the roadway, for gauging thesmoothness of the finished surface of the concrete either while thesurface is plastic and being smoothed or after the same has set orhardened. Though primarily for use only as a gauge, in actual practiceworkmen will use the same quite often as a spreader or strikeboard whenthe surface being gauged is in plastic condition, dragging it acrosssuch surface to remove very light surface irregularities. This actiontends to cause horizontal as well as vertical bends in the head. Tofurnish additional rigidity for withstanding these stresses I may formeach of the marginal portions 5 and 6 with a plurality of outwardlyextending ribs 1'? which may be pressed into the metal during theforming operation. These ribs may extend in a generally verticaldirection. The web may be additionally stiffened by similarly pressedlongitudinally extending ribs 18. The straight edge thus formed is veryrigid and will with= stand severe bending and torsional strains and yetwill maintain a true working face.

Furthermore, the head is of regular contour and consequently may beeasily formed by stamping and pressing. The completed head contains nometal which has been subjected to severe stresses or bends which are aptto set up internal stresses tending to warp the working face when thestraight edge is exposed to changes in tem-. perature or is heated. Suchan advantage is important inasmuch as pavements are to be held withinlimits of one quarter of an inch or less to the true surface.

In Fig. 3 a. similar form of head is shown with the exception that theupper edge portions of the marginal areas 5' and 6' are folded in adifferent manner; the marginal edge 9' being turned to form a somewhatcylindrical bead which will be 115 more rigid than the bead described inconnection with the form of Fig. 2.

In Fig. 4 is illustrated another satisfactory manner of forming the headwhich, however, has some disadvantages over the forms previously 1 2 0described. As there illustrated the working face of the desired width isheld fiat and the adjacent areas 21 and 22 are turned upwardly to form ahead of triangular cross section, the upper edge portions being foldedtogether as indicated at 23. This form may likewise have longitudinaland vertical strengthening ribs 24 and 25 respectively. This form has anadvantage in that it is more easily pressed into shape. In some cases itis permissible to use a straight edge having 'a working face which isarcuate in cross section, in which case the form illustrated in Fig. 5may be used. In this form the body 26 is circular in cross section, theweb 2'? being formed as previously described, and the upper edgeportions interlocked or secured together or both.

It is apparent from the above description that I have provided a verysimple and economically formed straight edge which will maintain a trueworking surface even when subjected to very 140 sever usage and varyingtemperatures and that I have very effectively disposed the stockmaterial so as to provide very great strength with minimum weight.

I claim:

1. A straight edge tool, comprising an elongated hollow sheet metal bodymember, means surmounting said body and comprising two longitudinal webelements, each of said elements being a continuation of the metal stockof which the 150 body member is formed, and of greater depth at thecenter portion than at the end portions, means for securing said webelements in fixed relation to each other whereby an upwardly extendingstiffening web member of greater depth at the center portion andtapering toward the ends of the body member is provided, and anelongated operating handle secured to one of said members in said centerportion and extending laterally therefrom.

2. A sheet metal straight edge comprising a hollow body substantiallyclosed at the top and surmounted by a web of two layers of the stockmetal, the upper portion of one layer of the web being bent over theupper portion of the other layer and forming a bead of three layers ofmetal, said web layers being rigidly fixed in position relative to eachother, said bead stiffening said web for rendering the straight edgerigid against bending normal to the web, and an operating handle securedto said web intermediate the body and bead.

3. A road tool for the purpose described, comprising an elongated hollowbody having a longitudinally extending web for increasing the rigidityof said body, an elongated operating handle for said tool, one end ofsaid handle protruding through said web, and the handle extendinglaterally from the plane of the web, a shoulder on the protruding end ofsaid handle in abutting relationship with a face of the web, and meansfor holding said handle with the shoulder firmly abutting said web face,said means comprising a cap engaging the exposed face of the shoulderand abutting said web face, and means for securing the cap to the webwhereby the handle is secured in place.

4. A road tool for the purpose described, comprising a hollow bodyhaving a longitudinal reinforcing web, an elongated operating handle forsaid straight edge extending laterally from the web and having one endprotruding therethrough, said end having an axial bore and means tosecure the handle in rigidly fixed position to the web, said meansincluding a shoulder on the protruding end of the handle abutting theweb face, a cap adapted to lie over the shoulder and to engage the webfor holding the shoulder firmly in abutting relationship thereto, a bosson said cap engaging said bore and fitting tightly therein when the capis secured in place over said shoulder, said boss protruding past theopposite face of said web, and means for securing said cap to the web.

JASPER. G. TULLIS.

